Ahead of the Advance Energy Group’s Q1 Stakeholder Breakfast event in the country’s capital, we look at what has been accomplished by the industry’s thought leaders, policy makers and private and public sector partners as climate security plays a significant role in the U.S. capital’s resiliency planning

On December 13, AEG convened its final Stakeholder Breakfast of 2018. This breakfast focused on Mobility & Transportation as they relate to DC’s clean energy goals. Speakers from Pepco, WMATA, the District Department of Transportation, and UPS gave presentations outlining their answer to the question, “What is the critical challenge I focus on regarding Mobility & Transportation related to Washington DC’s clean energy goals?”

Amazon’s announcement to locate part of its new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia will be a significant jolt to the economy of the DC metro area. This announcement emphasizes the need for a more sustainable living environment. It has created a new focus on DC’s transportation infrastructure, which already experiences regular traffic bottlenecks from transporting hundreds of thousands of commuters to and from the District each day.

There sense of urgency surrounding Washington D.C’s AEG Q3 Stakeholder Breakfast provided a productive backdrop for the meeting. The room of experts covered the unique challenges facing the DC energy sector and the event culminated in the formation of a task force with the twin goals of collating all the relevant data necessary to create a platform and organizing an event to explore the solutions that can be developed with this data.

The Internet of Things (IoT), Innovation & Technology is a dynamic subject that touches an array of fields that extends outside the energy sector. Washington D.C. is one of numerous cities across the country that are racing to take advantage of the potential improvements from IoT technology that will impact different parts of the city’s ecosystem.

The Washington Advanced Energy (WAE) Q2 Stakeholder Breakfast started with a call to urgency, HG Chissell - Founder and CEO of AEG - emphasized the importance of finding grid modernization solutions that were meaningful, effective, and would truly address the challenges facing D.C.’s energy sector in the long run. The risk stakeholders face is providing a well-meaning solution that is ultimately an unhelpful, quick fix.

DC has been paying more attention to the modernization of the electric grid. Cost reductions and improved performance of DERs are creating opportunities for the grid to operate more efficiently and at lower costs. Over the past few years, the city has been exploring how buildings and facilities that were primarily end-users of electricity can assist in power management and delivery across the District.

On February 22, Advanced Energy Group held its first Stakeholder Breakfast of the year in Washington, DC. The topic this time: Resiliency, Critical Infrastructure, and Microgrids. After the significant damage wrought by last year’s hurricane season, the subjects were more relevant than ever. The event’s large attendance reflected the importance of the subject matter, as the room was filled to capacity.

In 2016, Washington, DC became a member of 100 Resilient Cities, joining a network of over 1,000 metropolises around the world dedicated to improving the resiliency of systems and infrastructure. A Resilience Strategy to prepare the District for future threats is being developed through a collaborative effort that will incorporate input from all stakeholders, in hopes of creating a comprehensive strategy for addressing a spectrum of threats.

Could there be a more perfect venue than the U.S. Green Building Council’s headquarters for hosting our Washington Advanced Energy (WAE) Q2 2017 Stakeholder Meeting on Smart Buildings & Grid Modernization? We could not think of one. Dave Witek (Senior Vice President, Finance, Operations & Administration) and the USGBC Team graciously hosted us in their LEED Platinum (2009) space that showcased what smart buildings can do.

The Q1 2017 Washington Advanced Energy Group (WAE) Stakeholder Breakfast took place on Thursday, March 16th at the offices of Holland & Knight where discussion leaders and attendees examined the topics of microgrids and critical infrastructure in the D.C. Metro Area.

How do we move toward tangible action with regard to Transportation and Mobility in Washington D.C.? On December 8th, 2016, energy industry experts participated in the Stakeholder Breakfast to discuss the ways in which participation in data gathering, problem-framing in the transportation industry and EVs, and the generation of reliable power could provide a deliverable product through scaling existing initiatives and better incentivizing end-usage.

How can we develop smart, viable solutions to achieve greater reductions in energy demand and make advancements on sustainability? On September 8, energy industry professionals across Washington DC met to discuss and identify issues respective to technology, buildings, and distributed energy optimization. Ideas on bringing new technologies and scaling existing initiatives presented a wide array of paths forward.

On Thursday, September 8, Washington Advanced Energy will hold a Stakeholders Breakfast to discuss issues around technology, buildings, and distributed energy optimization. Washington Advanced Energy is the result of a number of meetings facilitated by engaged stakeholders with the view to create viable and equitable solutions that meet key needs and desired outcomes.